Hi folks,
I had a few questions about the way the German school systems were in the 60s and 70s. I was told about the current Grundschule/Hauptschule/Realschule/Gymna
1. My understanding from past reading (which may not be correct, or I may have misunderstood) is that Volksschulen existed in the former West Germany until around 1964. My MC's mother, who comes from Hessen, would have been eight at that time. I was told that her school may have been called a Volksschule until around 1964, when it would have become a Grundschule. I know students spend four years in elementary education before being placed in a secondary school, but if the name had stayed 'Volksschule', would she hypothetically have been able to go to another school type after four years?
2. I was also told the pre-WW2 model of schooling was different, and things began to change after the conflict was over. Would the options for schooling when my MC's mother started have been 'Volksschule/Realschule/Gymnasium' or something else up until the name/structure changes?
Googled: Realschule 1960s, Grundschule 1960s, history of Grundschule/Realschule